Hydrangea plant named ‘Saxlimar’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hydrangea  plant named ‘Saxlimar’, characterized by its upright and mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; strong stems; and large mophead-type inflorescences that when treated with aluminum sulfate have bright blue-colored sterile flowers with a fine whitish-colored margin.

Botanical designation: Hydrangea macrophylla.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SAXLIMAR’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofHydrangea plant, botanically known as Hydrangea macrophylla andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Saxlimar’.

The new Hydrangea plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program was to develop new container-type Hydrangea plants withstrong stems, early flowering response and attractive leaf, stem andflower coloration.

The new Hydrangea plant originated from a cross-pollination in 2009 ofHydrangea macrophylla ‘Horpill’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.19,761, as the female, or seed parent and an unidentified proprietaryselection of Hydrangea macrophylla, not patented, as the male, orpollen, parent. The new Hydrangea plant was discovered and selected bythe Inventor in 2011 as a flowering plant within the progeny of thestated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Dresden,Germany.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by softwood cuttings inDresden, Germany since June, 2011 has shown that the unique features ofthis new Hydrangea plant are stable and reproduced true to type insuccessive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Hydrangea have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Saxlimar’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Saxlimar’ as a new and distinct Hydrangeaplant:

-   -   1. Upright and mounded plant habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Strong stems.    -   4. Large mophead-type inflorescences that when treated with        aluminum sulfate have bright blue-colored sterile flowers with a        fine whitish-colored margin.

Plants of the new Hydrangea differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent, ‘Horpill’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hydrangea have stronger stems than plants        of ‘Horpill’.    -   2. Plants of the new Hydrangea have larger leaves than plants of        ‘Horpill’.    -   3. When treated with aluminum sulfate, plants of the new        Hydrangea and ‘Horpill’ differ in sterile flower color as plants        of ‘Horpill’ have violet-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Hydrangea differ primarily from plants of the maleparent selection in plant habit as plants of the new Hydrangea are morecompact than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Hydrangea can be compared to plants of Hydrangeamacrophylla ‘Bavaria’, not patented. Plants of the new Hydrangea differprimarily from plants of ‘Bavaria’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Hydrangea have stronger stems than plants        of ‘Bavaria’.    -   2. Plants of the new Hydrangea have larger leaves than plants of        ‘Bavaria’.    -   3. Plants of the new Hydrangea and ‘Bavaria’ differ slightly in        sterile flower color as plants of ‘Bavaria’ have broader        white-colored margins on the sepals.    -   4. Inflorescences of plants of the new Hydrangea are more high        temperature tolerant than inflorescences of plants of ‘Bavaria’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the unique appearance ofthe new Hydrangea plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ from the color values cited in the detailedbotanical description which accurately describe the colors of the newHydrangea plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Saxlimar’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalinflorescence of ‘Saxlimar’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and in the followingdescription were grown in 3-liter containers in a glass-coveredgreenhouse in Dresden, Germany and under cultural conditions typical ofcommercial Hydrangea production conditions. Plants of the new Hydrangeawere two years old when the photographs and description were taken.During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C.to 25° C. and night temperatures ranged from 16° C. to 17° C. Plantswere treated with aluminum sulfate to “blue” the inflorescences. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical description: Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Saxlimar’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Horpill’,            disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,761.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unidentified proprietary selection            of Hydrangea macrophylla, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—By softwood cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 15 days at            temperatures about 18° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 17 days at            temperatures about 18° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 29 days            at temperatures about 18° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 31 days            at temperatures about 18° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white to grey in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; sparse.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Perennial subshrub; upright and            mounded plant habit; broadly inverted triangle; freely            branching habit with about twelve lateral branches            developing per plant; strong lateral branches; moderately            vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 31.4 cm.        -   Plant diameter or area of spread.—About 46.5 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 16.9 cm. Diameter: About            6 mm. Internode length: About 4 cm. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 45° from vertical.            Color, developing: Close to 143C; at the nodes, slightly            tinged with close to N186C. Color, developed: Close to 199B.            Lenticels: Density: Moderate. Length: About 1.5 mm.            Diameter: About 0.75 mm. Color: Close to N186C.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 11.4 cm.        -   Width.—About 8.8 cm.        -   Shape.—Broadly ovate.        -   Apex.—Broadly apiculate.        -   Base.—Rounded to short attenuate.        -   Margin.—Serrate.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Texture, lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Darker than 143A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146D. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker than between 139A and            147A; venation, close to 144A. Fully expanded leaves, lower            surface: Close to between 137C and 147B; venation, close to            144A to 144B.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 2.1 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A.-   Inflorescence & flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single sterile and inconspicuous            fertile flowers arranged on terminal mophead-type panicles;            panicles flattened globular in overall shape; fertile            flowers face mostly upright and sterile flowers face upright            to outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant, pleasant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Continuous flowering from late            spring to late summer in The Netherlands.        -   Flower longevity, fertile flowers.—Flowers last about one            week on the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Flower longevity, sterile flowers.—Flowers last about six            weeks on the plant; flowers persistent.        -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering; about 120 fertile            flowers and about 400 sterile flowers per panicle.        -   Panicle height.—About 10.3 cm.        -   Panicle diameter.—About 17.8 cm.        -   Flower diameter, fertile flowers.—About 8 mm.        -   Flower depth (height), fertile flowers.—About 4 mm.        -   Flower diameter, sterile flowers.—About 3.5 cm.        -   Flower depth (height), sterile flowers.—About 1 cm.        -   Flower buds, fertile flowers.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter:            About 3.5 mm. Shape: Flattened globular. Color: Close to            115C.        -   Flower buds, sterile flowers.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter:            About 8 mm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 100C.        -   Petals, fertile flowers only.—Quantity and arrangement:            Four, occasionally five in a single whorl. Length: About            2.5 mm. Width: About 1.5 mm. Shape: Ovate, concave. Apex:            Broadly acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening            and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 104B. When opening            and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 104B.        -   Sepals, fertile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: Five in a            single whorl. Length: About 1.5 mm. Width: About 0.75 mm.            Shape: Broadly ovate to narrowly deltoid. Apex: Acute. Base:            Broadly cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces:            Close to 145C; apex tinged with close to 100B.        -   Sepals, sterile flowers.—Quantity and arrangement: Four or            five in a single whorl. Length: About 1.9 cm. Width: About            2 cm. Shape: Broadly rhomboidal to broadly ovate. Apex:            Bluntly acute. Base: Broadly cuneate. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            When opening, upper surface: Close to 98A. When opening,            lower surface: Close to 98B to 98C. Fully opened, upper            surface: Close to 99D; fine margin, whitish; with            development, color becoming closer to 93B tinged with close            to 96A to 96B. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 98B to            98C; with development, color becoming closer to 97A tinged            with close to 94C.        -   Pedicels, fertile flowers.—Angle: About 20° from vertical.            Strength: Moderately strong. Length: About 3 mm. Diameter:            About 1 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 66B.        -   Pedicels, sterile flowers.—Angle: About 30° from lateral            branch. Strength: Strong. Length: About 1.9 cm. Diameter:            About 1.5 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to            100C.        -   Reproductive organs, fertile flowers only.—Stamens: Quantity            per flower: About ten. Filament length: About 2 mm. Filament            color: Close to 104B. Anther length: About 1 mm. Anther            shape: Broadly reniform. Anther color: Close to 126D. Pollen            amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 156D. Pistils:            Pistil quantity per flower: About three. Pistil length:            About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close            to 145C to 145D. Style length: About 0.5 mm. Style color:            Close to 145A to 145B. Ovary color: Close to 157D.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been            observed on plants of the new Hydrangea to date.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Hydrangea have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Hydrangea    plants.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Hydrangea have been shown    to be tolerant to temperatures in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Hydrangea plant named ‘Saxlimar’ as illustrated and described. 